Granted, literature, to a large extent, is necessarily a process of rehashing previous ideas into new formations. As with her interpretation of fey lore, Kagawa has seemingly reconstructed the well-known tropes of past vampire legend in The Immortal Rules.

While this might be an understandable reaction, it’s not groundbreaking, which rather sums up my reaction to the entire novel. Her decision to aid the ragtag band of humans she encounters speaks less to the connections she forms with its members than it does to the fact that she is fighting against her new vampire nature. Honestly, Allison barely undergoes enough interactions with others to provide her with the opportunity to work together rather than blindly be contrary, yet the opportunities she does have, she squanders. Standing in contrast, Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels and Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax are wonderful examples of female characters whose strength is demonstrated not only through physical skill, but also through their abilities and willingness to utilize the fellow human resources at their disposal. Rose Hathaway from Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series springs to mind as an exemplar of this most detestable of character types. I’ve forgone many series for failure to connect with the main character, due mostly to my inevitable distaste for women who act before they think. She makes her own decisions, dependence be damned, yet those decisions aren’t reasoned, at least not to any degree reflected in the narrative. Allison has determination in spades, and unfortunately it’s the kind I dislike the most.

I am not one of those readers, because for me, it takes more than sheer determination to demonstrate strength of character. Will see her as a welcome divergence from the weak-willed women who rely on others to save them, the damsels in distress who give reliant women a bad name.

The immortal rules by julie kagawa